Obama Stresses Education Over iPod, Xbox

On Sunday President Obama made a commencement speech at Hampton University claiming that the era of the iPod and Xbox has not been a positive force for bettering education.

Obama made the speech to 1,000 graduates and described this kind of new technology as a "distraction."

"With iPods and iPads; Xboxes and PlayStations -- none of which I know how to work -- information becomes a distraction, a diversion, a form of entertainment, rather than a tool of empowerment, rather than the means of emancipation," he said.

He went on to tell the graduates that they were entering adulthood at a time of great difficulty for the USA. He said they are facing a tough economy, two wars and a 24/7 media environment not always dedicated to the truth.

"All of this is not only putting new pressures on you. It is putting new pressures on our country and on our democracy," Obama stated.

The president stressed the growing importance of a high-quality education to adapt to what he called "a period of breathtaking change."

Obama also stated that black students face a more challenging journey than others and are often bettered by their white peers when it comes to academic achievements.

He encourages the graduates to aim to provide role models to younger students and to teach them the importance of education as well as personal responsibility.

The president said that an education was an essential tool to help people sift through the many voices "clamoring for attention on blogs, on cable, on talk radio" and help them find the information which is important.

"Let's face it, even some of the craziest claims can quickly gain traction. I've had some experience with that myself," he concluded.